Ephesians 4: 1 Topic: a) Walk worthy a) Mike and Jeff both got a call from the coach of the football team. He told them that if they wanted to they could try out for the team. Mike started running to get in shape. Jeff lay on the couch. Mike lifted weights to build up his muscles. Jeff watched television. Mike ate healthy foods so he could grow stronger. Jeff ate candy. Which one should be on the team? You have been called to go to heaven What should you be doing? What should you not be doing? Ephesians 4: 2 Topic: a) How should we be if we believe in Jesus? There were two teams of kids running a race. One of the little kids fell down. He was lying on the ground crying and wouldn t get up. One of the kids on his team yelled at him If you don t get up we ll lose the race! Some of the other kids called the little boy names. Some said, He s a cry baby, just leave him! There was one girl on the team who bent down and spoke gently to the little boy. She found out that he had hurt his ankle. She picked the little boy up and carried him to the finish line. This girl believes in Jesus Is she being like she should? We should pray that God makes us like Jesus. Ephesians 4: 3 Topic: a) Unity of the Spirit Ray and Sarah built a fort in the woods. They built it out of old pieces of lumber they had found. They were in their fort when suddenly they heard a weird noise. They looked out and saw a swarm of termites
crawling towards their fort. Termites are bugs that love to eat wood. The kids knew that if the termites got into their fort they would destroy it. Ray and Sarah went out with fly swatters and tried to fight the bugs off but there were too many of them. They got shovels, dug a ditch around their fort and filled it with water. The termites couldn t swim and turned back. Ray and Sarah played in their fort. There was no way they were going to let those bugs in to wreck it. There are bugs trying to get into our families and church. (Jealousy, hatred, meanness, disobedience to God) a) It was a hot summer day. Jenn wanted an orange Popsicle. The store that sold Popsicles was a mile away. Jenn started walking. It got hotter and hotter. She met one of her friends along the way. Her friend was eating candy. She said, You don t have to walk all that way for a Popsicle. Here, have some candy instead. Jenn said no and kept walking. She met another friend on the way. He said, You don t have to walk all that way to get a Popsicle. Here, have some pie. Jenn said no and kept walking. She met another friend. Hey you don t have to walk all that way to get a Popsicle. Here, have some chocolate cake. Jenn said no and kept walking. Finally she got to the store and bought an orange Popsicle. She sat on the curb and ate it. It tasted better than anything. Why did she walk all that way to get an orange Popsicle? ( It was the only thing she wanted) How do we keep the bugs out of our families and church? When the only thing we want is to obey God. With God there is only love. Ephesians 4: 4-6 Topic: a) One? a) There was a group of people who wanted to plant a garden. There is a big rock in the middle of the place where the garden is to be. They are all going to have to help, pick up the big rock and move it. Every one of these people are different. Some are girls, some are boys. Some are black, some are white. Some speak different languages. They all like different things and look different from one another. They all get together, pick up the rock and move it. All of these people are different yet they are one. How can that be? ( They are all doing the same thing moving the rock)
We are in Gods family. We are all different yet we are one because we are loved by God and we want to make Him smile. Ephesians 4: 7 Topic: a) To each one of us. a) There was a king who loved his people. The people knew that their king loved them. one day the king came out and told the people, I have something for each of you. All the people lined up to receive their gift. He handed the first person a box. She looked inside. She was so happy with what was in the box that she couldn t even talk. The king gave the next person a different box. This person was so happy that he couldn t even talk. Finally all the people had a gift box. No two boxes were the same. They were all different. The king loved them and gave each one the perfect gift just for them. Jesus has special heavenly gifts that are just for you and no one else. Ephesians 4: 8-10 Topic: a) He descended and ascended. a) There was once a mighty river. It was strong and filled with water. One day the river heard that a little fish had left him and gotten lost. The river knew that if the fish didn t have its water it would die. The river shrunk itself down and became a glass of water. it searched and saved the little fish. Then it became a river again as big and mighty as before and any fish who wanted to live in its waters could. We are like that fish Jesus is God, our creator. We were lost because of our sin. Jesus shrunk down and became a man to save us and bring us back to God. Then Jesus went back to heaven and fills the whole universe. Whoever believes in Him will live forever. Ephesians 4: 11-12 Topic: a) Gods helpers
a) There was a pond called the Snake and alligator pond. It was very dangerous to fall into this pond but it was very cool if you could see the snakes and alligators. There was a person who wanted people to be able to see the snakes and alligators so this person built a path that went right over the pond. The person didn t want anyone to fall into the pond so he put people all along the path to guide visitors and make sure they stayed on the path. God has put people around you to help keep you on the path of life. Pastors, moms, dads, grandparents, Sunday school teachers.people who tell you the truth about Jesus. Ephesians 4: 13 Topic: a) What are we growing into? a) There was a little seed. This little seed would sit in his bedroom and stare at a poster he had on the wall. It was a poster of a huge red tomato. The little seed would stare at the poster and dream that someday he could become like that tomato. One day the farmer came, picked up the little seed and gently planted it in the ground. The farmer watered the little seed and made sure it had plenty of good seed food to eat. One day a green vine grew out of the seed, poked through the ground and grew higher and higher. Then a little round green thing grew on the vine. Then one day the farmer came out to look and there was a huge red tomato on the vine. The little seed had gotten what he wanted. Jesus is taking care of us. Making us grow. As time goes on and we listen to Him, we become more and more like Him. Then one day we will see Him in heaven and we will be more than we can imagine. Ephesians 4: 14 Topic: a) tossed to and fro a) There was a little kid named Nathan. One day the big kids told Nathan that the moon was really a big piece of cheese. Really?! said Nathan. He went home and told his dad. That s not true his dad said. Then the big kids told Nathan that there was a monster hiding in his bedroom closet. He went home and told his dad. That s not
true his dad said. Then the big kids told Nathan that they had built a rocket and they were going to put Nathan in it and send him into outer space. He went home and told his dad. His dad said, Look Nathan whenever these kids tell you something, you come home, tell me and I will tell you if it s true or not. Nathan did and the big kids were never able to fool him. There are a lot of lies out there. Who do we come to if we want to know the truth about something? Jesus is the truth. Is there a book that contains the truth? Ephesians 4: 15 Topic: a) grow up into. One day the teacher asked the kids to stand up and tell the class what they wanted to be when they grew up. One boy stood up and said, I want to be a policeman and drive a police car down the street with a siren. A girl stood up and said, I want to work with computers and work in a tall skyscraper way above the street. A boy stood up and said, I want to be a pilot and fly airplanes. Another girl stood up and said, I want to be an astronaut and go into outer space! All these things are great but God wants you to grow up into something even higher than the universe. To grow in God s love until one day in heaven we will be like Jesus. Ephesians 4: 16 Topic: a) The body a) There was a boy who was outside playing. He became hungry. His body needed food. His brain told the legs to go to the store and buy some healthy food and a few treats as well. The brain in his head told the hands to pick up the food and put it in his mouth. The brain then told the teeth to chew and the throat to swallow. Soon his stomach was full and the brain told it to send all that good stuff to the different parts of the body, giving them strength. The church is like a body. Every person loves the Lord and loves each other. Jesus is like the head.
We get everything we need from Him and we grow together to be like Him. Ephesians 4: 17-19 Topic: a) Don t live like those who don t know God. a) Once there was a girl who looked up into the sky and wanted to go higher and higher. There was someone she knew who said they were going to go higher and higher. This person was standing in a hole with a shovel and kept digging the hole deeper and deeper. She knew someone else who said they were going to go higher and higher. This person was building a rocket ship and was going to blast off into outer space. The girl wondered, Who should I hang out with? Who should she hang out with? Why? People who try to live without God are like those digging a hole. If you know God then obey Him and fly. Ephesians 4: 20-21 Topic: a) Truth a) There is a boy. He doesn t know it but there is an arrow coming directly at his head. Someone walks up to him and hands him two envelopes. One marked A and one marked B. The boy opens A. The note inside says, Stand still and don t move. The boy opens the B envelope. The note inside this one says, Duck!!! He believes and does what the note in envelope B says. What is going to happen to him? No one can live without the truth. Where do we find the one and only truth? a) Genesis 3 The lie sounded good. Gods words keep us alive. Ephesians 4: 22-24 Topic: a) Take off Put on.
a) There was a place where it was very, very cold. In this place it was very fashionable to wear worm coats. All the people wore these coats. These worm coats weren t warm and the worms were biting worms. One day a man came who had a truck load of new coats. These coats were made of soft material, were very warm, cozy and they were free. Whoever wanted could take off their worm coat and put on a brand new one. Would you take off the old coat and put on a new one? Before a person believes in Jesus they are lost in darkness and they act like it. When a person believes in Jesus they are made brand new. All sins are gone and they act like it. Take off the old sin. Put on the goodness of Jesus. Ephesians 4: 25 Topic: a) Speak the truth a) There was a flock of sheep. One day a wolf who was wearing a sheep hat came to the flock. Hello friends said the wolf. Who are you? asked the sheep. Oh I m just a sheep like you, just part of the flock said the wolf. Gee I don t know said the sheep, You look like a wolf. Oh no! said the wolf, Just listen. With that the wolf raised his head and said, Baaaa! The sheep said, Well he does say baaaa. He must be a sheep. Can he be part of the flock? What is he there for? No lie can be of the truth. Jesus never has and never will lie to us. Everything that comes out of our mouths should be truth. a) There was a man who said, I don t want any holes in my back yard! One day a boy came over with a shovel and started digging a hole. The man came out and saw it. Did you dig a hole? he said to the boy with the shovel. No said the boy. The man left and the boy dug the hole deeper. The man came back. Are you sure you didn t dig a hole? he asked. No said the boy I would never dig a hole in your yard. The boy dug the hole deeper. The man came back. If you re digging a hole you re going to be in big trouble! he yelled. I am not digging a hole! said the boy. The man left and the boy dug the hole deeper. This time when the man came out the hole was so deep that he couldn t even see the boy anymore.
If we do something wrong it s like we re in a hole If we think lying about it will get us out of trouble.we make the hole deeper. a) One day Sam s dad had to go to work. He told Sam that he didn t want him to leave the house while he was gone. Sam promised to stay home till dad got back. After dad left some of Sam s friends came by with their skateboards. They wanted Sam to come with them. Sam told them that his dad didn t want him to leave the house. The kids told Sam that if he left with them his dad would never know. All Sam had to do was to get home before his dad did. Sam left with his friends. On his way home from work his dad passed the park. He saw Sam skateboarding with his friends. Sam realized it was getting late, ran home and got there just before his dad pulled into the driveway. When dad came in he asked Sam if he has stayed home like he was told to. Sam told his dad that he never left the house. He said he did just what dad had told him to do. Sam thought he got away with it but his dad was sad. He was sad because he loved Sam but now he knew something. He knew that his son was a liar. Lord help us to always tell the truth. Ephesians 4: 26-27 Topic a) Don t stay angry. a) There was a girl who was walking down the street. On the sidewalk she found a bomb that was ticking. She picked it up and carried it around with her. Her friends saw her and told her that she had better get rid of that bomb. No she said, I think I ll keep it for a while. What is going to happen to her? Anger and hatred are like a bomb. If we don t get rid of it it will hurt us and others. a) Once there was an apple sitting in a basket with a bunch of other apples. This apple had a little brown spot on it. One of the apples said to it, Hey that s a rotten spot. You better get rid of it! The apple didn t listen and kept the brown spot. Soon the brown spot had spread all over the apple. Then the apple shriveled up and the rottenness spread to the other apples. If we don t get rid of anger and hatred.we will become rotten. Topic: b) How do we get rid of it?
b) There was once a boy with a huge pimple on forehead. The pimple grew and soon it was almost the size of the boy s head. He went to the doctor. The doctor told him that he had better get rid of it or it would take over his whole body. The boy believed the doctor and knew that the doctor wanted to help him so the boy asked the doctor to remove it. How do we get rid of anger or any other sin? We believe what Jesus says about it. We ask Him to remove it. Ephesians 4: 28 Topic: a) Turning a taker into a giver. a) Once there was a planet. The only thing that was on this planet was a bunch of trees. This planet was kind of mean and only wanted to do what it wanted to do. One day the planet hid behind the moon. It was dark and cold. The trees began to die. The planet didn t care. It said, I don t care, as long as I get to do what I want to do. One day the sun told the planet that if it came out and let him shine on him that the planet would be happier than ever before. The planet did what the sun sad. Soon it was light and warm on the planet. The trees came back to life. Flowers grew. There was life. The planet was happier than ever before. It never wanted to be in the dark again. People do bad things. When Jesus shines on them They come alive, obey God and live! a) Once there was a monkey. Whenever this monkey was hungry he would go around and steal bananas from the other monkeys. This made the other monkeys sad and angry. The monkey would take his stolen bananas, sit down and eat them with a grumpy face. One day a lion whispered in the monkey s ear that there was a better way. The monkey listened and did what the lion said. The next time the monkey got hungry he climbed into a tree and picked his own bananas. When he had a bunch he gave some to the other monkeys who were hungry. For the first time this monkey felt happy when he sat down to eat his bananas. Live Gods way and live forever. Ephesians 4: 29
Topic: a) Don t tear down.build! a) To edify means that we do or say something that will give people Gods love. a) Mr. Edify builds beautiful houses for people to live in. Mr. Quench goes around and tears down people s homes. Which would you rather be? a) Mr. Edify built a playground for kids to play in. Mr. Quench came by and tore it down. Which are you? a) Mr. Edify built a rocket ship to take people higher and higher into space. Mr. Quench blew it up. Which are you? Our words can build people up or tear them down. a) Mr. Edify gave people free balloon rides. They went high into the sky. The people could see everything. Mr. Quench took people down into a cold dark pit where you couldn t see anything. Which one are you? Jesus wants to bring people up not make them sad. We can bring people up or bring them down. Ephesians 4: 30 Topic: a) Don t miss out on what God has for you. a) Once there was a lady who wanted to take all the kids in her neighborhood to an amusement park. This park had the worlds largest roller coaster and the worlds best water slide. The lady was going to pay for all of them plus buy them all lunch and ice cream. When it came time to go, all the kids came to her and told her that they didn t really want to go. They said they would rather sit in the house and watch TV. The kids ran off. The lady was sad. She was sad because she knew the kids would have had a really good time but they missed it. Jesus has shown us how to live. If we obey God we will have life abundant and forever. When we disobey God we miss out on life. Make God smile.
Ephesians 4: 31-32 Topic: a) How not to be And to be. a) There were two stores selling cup cakes with whipped cream on top. On one cupcake the cream was sour and had worms in it. It made people sick. On the other cupcake the cream was fresh, sweet and delicious. It made people smile. Are we giving people worms or the love of God. Topic: b) How can we ever do this? b) There was a car that was all rusted and ruined. It was going to be taken to a junk yard and crushed. A man saw the car. He saved the car from the junk yard, took it home and fixed it. The car felt great. Later the man wanted to take a trip. The car wanted to drive him and was glad to do it. The man filled the car up with gas so that the car could do it. Jesus saved us and has given us life forever. Those who love God will want to obey Him. He gives us the power to do it. Topic: c) Why forgive? c) There was a man walking down the street. Suddenly a giant hungry spider landed on his head. His friend saw him walking down the street with the giant hungry spider on his head. Hey you better get that giant hungry spider off your head! he said. No said the man, I think I ll let it say there for a while. Later the man s friend went looking for the man with the giant hungry spider on his head. All he found were his shoes. If someone does something mean to us and we carry around our anger it will eat us up. Jesus forgave us all our sins. We need to forgive others.